Page 101 - DLIS002_KNOWLEDGE ORGANIZATION CLASSIFICATION AND CATALOGUING THEORY

Knowledge Organization: Classification and Cataloguing Theory

Notes 5.7 Merits and Demerits of UDC

UDC is the analytico synthetic classification scheme, which has number of merits and demerits.
For improvisation of any system we should be clear about their merits and demerits and then
make to step towards their demerits. Following are the merits and demerits of UDC:

5.7.1 Merits of UDC

During the examination of different authors, came to know that a lot of people are arguing in the
favour of using UDC to classify online data.
Hierarchical order: One feature of the UDC that makes it especially useful for online
retrieval is its expressive notation. The UDC is a hierarchical classification, which means
that it develops progressively from the general to the specific in disciplinary and subject
relationships. Even so, the overall arrangement is not necessarily theoretical or logical.
The UDC is built on the premise that no one class can cover all aspects of a given subject.
Williamson points out that “Hierarchical relationships are the essence of all classification.
Enumerative classifications systems provide a systematic arrangement of subjects according
to set of principles based on an accepted philosophy of the organization of knowledge, on
patterns established on the basis of literary warrant, and frequently, on a combination of
both. However, classified order is not self-evident. Some method or device is required to
preserve the relationships among classes, subclasses, topics and subtopics. In some
classification systems, for example UDC, these relationships are preserved and may be
manipulated through the hierarchical notation. LCC does not fit this pattern. Its notation
preserves order but does not reflect hierarchy…some other means must be found to
preserve those relationships. The number of digits that form the UDC number indicates
the sequence of subjects from general to specific. As shown in Table 5.2, when the UDC
number 616.936 for the topic “Malaria” is shown in the context of its UDC hierarchy it can
be seen that “Various types of fevers” “Communicable diseases. Infectious and contagious
disease, Fevers” and “Malaria” are at the same hierarchical level. The UDC number 616.1/
9 corresponding to the heading “Specific pathology” is one digit shorter than those used
to indicate specific kinds of disease and is considered to be broader or superordinate to
those with longer numbers. Indentation is also used to indicate hierarchy. Through both
notation and indentation, this example shows that each topic except for the main class 6
“Medical Technology” is subordinate to and part of all the broader classes above it.

Table 5.2: Hierarchical Structure

Source: http://pure.iva.dk/files/30772829/Amina_Kaosar_Thesis.pdf

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